Wall mounted toy track set

Abstract

A track set configured to be mounted to a wall by a plurality of wall mounts, the track set having: a tower: a first upper track section configured to receive toy vehicles from a top portion of the tower; a second lower track section, wherein the first upper track section is angularly positioned such that toy vehicles traveling along the first track section move towards a second lower track section, wherein the second lower track section is configured to direct the toy vehicles towards a bottom portion of a tower; a corkscrew rotationally secured to the tower; and a motor coupled to the corkscrew, wherein operation of the motor causes the corkscrew to rotate, wherein rotation of the corkscrew causes the toy vehicles to move from the bottom portion of the tower to the top portion of the tower.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A track set, the track set comprising:
 a tower; 
 a first upper track section configured to receive toy vehicles from a top portion of the tower; 
 a second lower track section, wherein the second lower track section is configured to direct the toy vehicles towards a bottom portion of a tower; 
 a corkscrew rotationally secured to the tower, the corkscrew having a surface extending along said corkscrew to support said toy vehicles thereon; and 
 a motor coupled to the corkscrew, wherein operation of the motor causes the corkscrew to rotate, wherein rotation of the corkscrew causes the toy vehicles to move from the bottom portion of the tower to the top portion of the tower, wherein rotational movement of the corkscrew causes toy vehicles entering the bottom of the tower to engage the surface of the corkscrew and be drawn upwards towards the top portion of the tower via the surface of the corkscrew. 
 
     
     
       2. The track set as in  claim 1 , wherein the first upper track section comprises a plurality of track segments. 
     
     
       3. The track set as in  claim 1 , wherein the second lower track section comprises a plurality of track segments. 
     
     
       4. The track set as in  claim 1 , wherein once the toy vehicles reach the top of the tower they are redirected to the first upper track section wherein they travel along the first upper track section towards the second lower track section. 
     
     
       5. The track set as in  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the first upper track section has a diverter pivotally mounted thereto for movement between a first position and a second position, wherein one of two possible track paths down the first upper track section can be selected. 
     
     
       6. The track set as in  claim 1 , wherein the first upper track section is angularly positioned such that toy vehicles traveling along the first upper track section move towards the second lower track section. 
     
     
       7. The track set as in  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the track set is mounted to a wall by a plurality of wall mounts. 
     
     
       8. The track set as in  claim 1 , wherein the first upper track section is angularly positioned such that toy vehicles traveling along the first upper track section move towards the second lower track section and wherein the track set is mounted to a vertical wall by a plurality of wall mounts. 
     
     
       9. A track set, the track set comprising:
 a tower; 
 a first upper track section configured to receive toy vehicles from a top portion of the tower; 
 a second lower track section, wherein the second lower track section is configured to direct the toy vehicles towards a bottom portion of a tower; 
 a corkscrew rotationally secured to the tower; and 
 a motor coupled to the corkscrew, wherein operation of the motor causes the corkscrew to rotate, wherein rotation of the corkscrew causes the toy vehicles to move from the bottom portion of the tower to the top portion of the tower, wherein at least a portion of the track set is mounted to a wall by a plurality of wall mounts wherein each of the plurality of wall mounts include a bracket; and a connector, and each of the plurality of wall mounts having a break away feature that allows the connector to be removed from the bracket, the connector having a vertical wall portion with a peripheral edge that is snap fittingly engaged with the bracket when the connector is secured to the bracket, the bracket having a lower portion that engages a bottom portion of the vertical wall portion when the connector is secured to the bracket and a feature that engages an upper portion of the vertical wall portion when track connector is secured to the bracket, wherein the feature snap fittingly engages the track connector when it is secured to the bracket. 
 
     
     
       10. A track set, the track set comprising:
 a tower; 
 a first upper track section configured to receive toy vehicles from a top portion of the tower; 
 a second lower track section, wherein the second lower track section is configured to direct the toy vehicles towards a bottom portion of a tower; 
 a corkscrew rotationally secured to the tower; and 
 a motor coupled to the corkscrew, wherein operation of the motor causes the corkscrew to rotate, wherein rotation of the corkscrew causes the toy vehicles to move from the bottom portion of the tower to the top portion of the tower, wherein a portion of the first upper track section has a diverter pivotally mounted thereto for movement between a first position and a second position, wherein one of two possible track paths down the first upper track section can be selected, and wherein a first one of the two possible track paths includes a U-turn track section that redirects the toy vehicles towards a starting gate, wherein the starting gate is pivotally mounted to the track segment for movement between a closed stopping position and an open release position. 
 
     
     
       11. The track set as in  claim 10 , wherein the starting gate is configured to move from the blocking position to the unblocking position when a predetermined amount of toy vehicles are stacked behind the gate. 
     
     
       12. The track set as in  claim 11 , further comprising a chomping device located proximate to the second lower track section, the chomping device comprising an upper jaw portion pivotally mounted to a lower jaw portion. 
     
     
       13. The track set as in  claim 12 , wherein the upper jaw portion is coupled to the motor driving the corkscrew such that energizing of the motor causes the upper jaw portion to pivot with respect to the lower jaw portion in order to resemble a chomping or biting action of the chomping device. 
     
     
       14. The track set as in  claim 12 , wherein the upper jaw portion is coupled to the corkscrew such that rotation of the corkscrew causes the upper jaw portion to pivot with respect to the lower jaw portion in order to resemble a chomping or biting action of the chomping device. 
     
     
       15. The track set as in  claim 12 , wherein the chomping device reciprocates between an open position and a closed position, such that the toy vehicles will pass through the chomping device when it is in the open position and the toy vehicles are captured by the chomping device and deposited in a hopper of the chomping device when they are in the chomping device and the chomping device is in the closed position. 
     
     
       16. The track set as in  claim 15 , wherein the hopper further comprises a trap door configured to release toy vehicles deposited therein. 
     
     
       17. The track set as in  claim 10 , wherein a second alternative path from the top of the tower to the corkscrew at the bottom of the tower is provided, the second alternative path further comprising a jump positioned along the second alternative path. 
     
     
       18. The track set as in  claim 17 , further comprising an obstacle pivotally mounted to the track set for selective movement into and out of a blocking position with respect to the jump. 
     
     
       19. The track set as in  claim 18 , wherein the obstacle is operatively coupled to the corkscrew such that rotation of the corkscrew causes movement of the obstacle.